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Topic: TARF8 ( Family) Spoilers (Read 44875 times)

By DON KAPLAN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Racers" trained like astronauts for the competition.

July 14, 2005 -- OFFICIALS at cash-strapped NASA refused to sign $10 million confidentiality agreements with CBS' "Amazing Race" when the show passed through one of its facilities in the deep South earlier this week. A fleet of SUVs driven by contestants in the eighth installment of "Race" rumbled through the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., Monday night.

There, the racers were pitted against each other in challenges that utilized several of the astronaut-training devices, including a centrifuge that simulates the intense pressure of extra gravity during a rocket launch, according to an Alabama newspaper report.

But officials at the space center refused to sign the standard confidentiality agreements — and were tight-lipped yesterday about details of what took place when the show touched down in their neighborhood.

Earlier, the "Amazing" racers had arrived at the Huntsville-Madison County convention center on two buses and jumped into the SUVs, group by group.

All of them were drenched by the remnants of Hurricane Dennis and spent the night in a local Marriott.

"Race" reportedly started filming last Thursday with 11 teams. By the time the race reached the Alabama town — whose inhabitants work mostly for the military or NASA — one team had already been eliminated.

According to the CBS Web site, the latest edition of "Race" is a family-oriented contest, with each team made up of four members instead of the usual two.

Teams include traditional families (mom, dad, kids), blended families (newly married with step-kids), four sisters, four brothers, multigenerational (grandparents with grandkids) and engaged couples and their in-laws-to-be.

"Race" is one of the highest rated and most critically acclaimed reality series of all time.

It's snared two Emmys since the awards show began featuring the reality genre as a separate category two years ago.

TAR Envelope spotted in Canada (the Area 51 for The Amazing Race! LOL)

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I spotted an Amazing Race envelope station in downtown Vancouver (Canada) yesterday. Unsure when contestants were scheduled to ‘visit’ but the box was secured to a lamppost and padlocked. Specifically, it was near the steam clock in historic Gastown on Water Street.

NASA nixes 'Amazing Race' agreementJul. 14, 2005 at 12:25PM CBS's "Amazing Race" hit a stumbling block when its contestants hit the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., it was reported Thursday. The New York Post said NASA officials refused to sign the network's $10 million confidentiality agreement aimed at preventing details of the Emmy-Award-winning show to leak out ahead of its airing. The contestants reportedly performed a number of challenges at the Center Monday using several astronaut-training devices. Although Space Center officials refused to sign the standard confidentiality agreements, they refused to give out any details of the taping, the Post said. "Race" reportedly started filming last Thursday with 11 teams. Only 10 were present in Huntsville, meaning one elimination had already taken place.http://washingtontimes.com/upi/20050714-114638-8086r.htm

I guess I don't need to be quiet anymore. The reason the USSRC didn't sign the agreement is because they have about 175 employees right now and it would be impossible to keep them all quiet and hold the center responsible for 1 stupid loud mouthed minor who is just working a part-time temporary job for the summer.It kind of ticks me off that the thing I have the closest ties to (no, I don't work there) so far has the biggest spoiler. At least the higher ups kept their mouths shut.

I have to say I was trying really hard to see the teams, I missed the last team by about 40 minutes. Locals would have seen them any time from 12 - 4 pm on Tuesday afternoon. I thought they were driving suburbans, but I didn't see any big cars with camera crews.

I'm also glad that the world will see Alabam has more to offer than rednecks and cotton.

Rob , interesting.. this just came in my Google Amazing Race news could be why there are so many sightings of TAR in Canada ??

Canadian Outback Adventures offers corporate experiential learning programs based on popular programs such as CSI, Amazing Race and Survivor.

Canadian Outback’s Amazing RaceCanadian Outback's Amazing Race is a teambuilding event combining communication skills, planning, strategy, teamwork, and a race against the clock. Groups are split into two teams (reds vs. yellows) and again into mini-teams whose goal it is to work together to complete the race in as little time as possible. Racers are set out on a course filled with interesting route markers that provide additional route information, road blocks that outline a specific task that someone on each team must complete before moving on, and detours that run throughout the area. Amazing Race is the perfect answer for adventure-seeking enthusiasts.

I've been waiting for weeks to post this! When Survivor announced they would be shooting the next season near Tikal, there was a lot of chatter on the Belize chat boards due to the proximity/affinity... A friend/travel arranger I know in Belize (who was formerly involved in TV production in NYC) commented "they will be here in July." I shot off a personal email to her asking if she was working on Survivor Guatemala. She replied that she couldnt go into detail because she had signed a confidentiality agreement, but that no, she was working on "the other one."

Unless she's talking about Road Rules, I figure TAR 8 has to be cruising through Belize at some point this month.

oh, and re: the Disney spoiler... somehow I doubt CBS would be promoting ABC's parent company

Don't know if anybody cares, but I just got word from a friend of mine doing field work in Panama that he was accosted by several Americans in white vans, cameras in tow, looking for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's boat dock. Evidently, CBS invaded Panama with a vengeance. Also, the person asked him if he spoke English, IN FRENCH, which I find VERY amusing.

If these dates are correct, then something is rottin in Denmark since report from NASA space center has TEN teams participating. If ELEVEN started and we have stops in New York, Washington Crossing, Washington DC and Charleston SC more than ONE teams should have been eliminated by now. So something just doesn't jell.

Hi Puddin, don't feel bad. I've been lurking around. It's good that you have kept the embers burning.Hi GMan, I think the team count is okay. Because I was unable to find a way to fit a pitstop into the South Carolina location due to Phils flight out of Dulles.

Take a look (reproduced from Sucks):

TARF Timeline (version 2)

Thursday July 7, Leg 1. <Race begins at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park,> Eleven teams get supplies from EMS in SoHo and drive their Suburbans to Washington Crossing State Park in New Jersey. <From there they are then sent to Washington DC, held up by hours of operation at the Washington monument.>

Friday July 8, <Teams enter the monument and find> clues directing them to the Korean War Memorial, this is kind of a guess based on the one team being seen going toward it. <From there teams are directed to the Watergate Hotel where they must enter through an open window to find their next clue. From there they are told to go to Mt. Vernon. There teams encounter an hours of operation sign and must wait until the next morning.>

Saturday July 9, <When the location opens teams must complete the task of preparing 20 mint juleps. Teams check in between 10 am and 12 noon> with the orange family (mom, dad, & 2 girls) eliminated, this is a tiny speculation based on the report that this was the team that was seen on the mall and that park rangers had seen teams all morning before that and that the person who spotted them said they stayed around for a while and saw no more teams. <Leg 2 starts with teams leaving Mt Vernon at 10 pm with instructions to drive to Kitty Hawk NC (takes 5 hours).> Phil and some members of production take an evening flight on United from Washington Dulles to <Atlanta (UA flight 5279 leaving at 9:50 pm. Atlanta is not far from Huntsville, AL).>

Sunday July 10, <Teams arrive in Kitty Hawk between 3 am and 6 am. There they must build and fly kites shaped like the Wright Brother’s Flyer. Next they have to drive 7 hours to Charleston SC (arriving 11 am to 2 pm) complete the task of harvesting 20 pounds of tobacco leaves. Teams completing the task first get to have earlier bus tickets. Teams leave Charleston on two buses leaving at 3 pm and 6 pm for a 9 hour> bus ride to Huntsville Alabama from South Carolina.

Monday July 11, Teams arrive at the Visitors Bureau in the early am where they pick up Yukon SUVs (this is a small guess since they could have picked up the SUV's someplace before this) and drive them to the US Space & Rocket Center. They have to wait for the center to open at 9 am. Inside they must complete several tasks. Teams check in after midnight. The hours of operation is my guess and so are the check in times, but we do know they leave next day in the afternoon <The generation gap team (grandparents and grandchildren) are eliminated.>

Tuesday July 12, Leg 3 starts with teams leaving the Space Center in the afternoon and head to Talladega to find the <speedway. >

Cautionary Note: If it’s not bolded then it’s pure speculation, and that can be kind of goofy. The pure speculations are bracketed by < and >.

Also, I can’t fit in the Norfolk Airport advanced notice spoiler for Tuesday (reported on last Monday).

Its been a long hot summer, but the three muskateers, Puddin, Chateau d If, and GMan are back at it. This is wierd as we can track the teams in real time. Rumors have them going to Beliz and Panama. Any confirmation? And here I am sitting at home enjoying the air conditioning (no, actually I was out supervising the construction crew putting our new deck in place) and the teams are stomping through my own stomping grounds! (And we live only 10 minutes from Dulles!! Bummer.

Hello Chateau , thank you for sharing and for the great detective work as usual .

lol Gman .. that totally sucks to think that TARF was practically racing through your back yard , to bad . Did you go too the airport and ask questions {l{ ? They supposedly ran through PA. also but, not near my neck of the woods ( I'm guessing ) although they could have traveled I80 but its to late to find out anything now ( would love to have had a spoiler of my own ) .

Thursday July 7, Leg 1. <Race begins at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park,> Eleven teams get supplies from EMS in SoHo and drive their Suburbans to Washington Crossing State Park in New Jersey. <From there they are then sent to Washington DC, held up by hours of operation at the Washington monument.>

random thoughts, i was thinking over lunch that if they've finally left the country that maybe they used the first few legs in the usa to eliminate the weaker teams. you can't know how some kids will react to the stress of the race once they get started. that way work up to the world travel for the kids involved. i'd love to see the kids experience more than just their home country too. plus, there's no way that the spoiling community wouldn't know the entire race if it stays there. even the media would be hard pressed not to report the local sightings.

back to work, sigh.

keep up the great detective work all!! {|

Logged

always remember....when life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!

Thought I would share this. Hera, who has a thread over at Sucks posted the following:

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To address the TAR family season. From what I hear, they are having a lot of problems with it and it may actually not be a rumor that it all gets canned. (I can't tell you my sources so don't even ask!haha) Personally, I think it would be a blessing in disguise because TAR is not meant for children!

{l{ ^^^ Gman = , check it out ..does this sound like something we discussed , actually YOU discussed with me just days ago , good job detective more from Hera's blog

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-As far as TAR family, I most certainly did not say it was cancelled for sure...just that it was having problems and it is possible that it could be canned. As far as I remember, the producers have the right to tape the whole thing and NEVER air the show. If it doesn't air, they do not have to pay the teams a thing. In the case of TAR family, if they run the whole race it will most likely air - but logistics may make it so they can't even run it. Think about it...there are a lot of potential problems that they may not have thought about that hard. My biggest problem with the idea happens at the end of the race. Picture it: an eight year old that lost..."Now Johnny, you signed a contract and that means you can't tell anyone who won the race," says CBS. Johnny, who is now very upset and jealous, goes to school and says, "guess what [best friend] don't tell anyone but I was on The Amazing Race and I know who wins!" Next thing you know the entire 3rd grade knows. Or, the next situation is that 10 year old (which is still about 4th or 5th grade in case you have forgotten) who has won a million and wants to tell his best friend. Next thing you know, the entire junior high school leaks it. That problem is probably not even the biggest on their mind!

Imagine Phil Keoghan greeting the first-place team at the finish line: "One continent, four countries, 8,000 miles: John, Jennifer, Jack and Dakota, you are the official winners of 'The Amazing Race Family Edition.' "

Ugh.

According to reports coming in from all over the country, fans' worst fears about the family version of "The Amazing Race" may be coming true. The race is being softened up to accommodate the kids.

As best we can tell, it's taking place only in North America. The race apparently started at Disney World and moved on to New York. Racers have since been spotted crossing the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey and at a NASA facility in Huntsville, Ala. Other reports have them in Virginia, South Carolina, Belize, Panama and Vancouver, Canada.

Rumors also are floating that the producers are unhappy with how the season is turning out. Former racer Hera McLeod, one of the more popular contestants from season six, added fuel to that fire in a posting Tuesday on the Web site Survivor Sucks (p085.ezboard.com/bsurvivor sucks).

"From what I hear, they are having a lot of problems with it and it may actually not be a rumor that it all gets canned," McLeod wrote. "Personally, I think it would be a blessing in disguise because TAR is not meant for children!"

Let's hope TAR's brilliant editors can work their usual magic and save one of television's best shows.

This is getting to sound more and more like a kid's version of "Jeopardy" (Ugh and double ugh ugh). It is one thing to have a Kenny Jenkings matching wits with Alex and another thing entirely to have a bunch of 10 and 12 year olds (currently) being stumped on who wrote "Hamlet"

So...if the show doesn't air...I wonder what they'll do with the winners? Will they still get paid?

I realize that the contract specifies that they don't have to air the show, and that they don't have to pay anyone anything...but would they be willing to take the bad press from not paying the winners???